1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors for use with a printed circuit board are common and come in a number of different general forms. Each form is adapted to receive one or more conductive elements as, for example, from a pin connector.
Electrical connectors of this type are mountable on top of a printed circuit board and usually include an insulated housing having one or more terminal receiving cavities formed therein and a terminal mounted in each of the cavities to engage each of the conductive elements. The different general forms in which a connector of this type is classified depends on from what direction the conductive element or elements are received in the cavities. The type of connector where the conductive element or elements are received into the housing through the top or side thereof do not offer as many problems as a bottom entry connector wherein the conductive element or elements are received through the bottom of the housing.
Two general alternatives are available to effect bottom entry electrical connection. First, each terminal can have a printed circuit type tail which extends downwardly from the main body of the terminal to a connection on the printed circuit board. In order to do this, the tail must be struck from a base portion or body portion of the terminal. The other alternative is to have the tail portion of the terminal extend through the top of the housing and then in some manner bend it back downwardly so that it connects with a portion of the printed circuit board.
One way of accomplishing the first alternative is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,926. This method is satisfactory where the width of the terminal stock is such that it allows the tail portion to be struck from the base portion. However, where the terminal is small and does not have a sufficient width, this alternative becomes impractical.
Problems also arise with the second alternative in that, especially if the terminal is small, the tail portion is too unstable. Thus, it becomes difficult to position the tail portions preparatory to soldering on a printed circuit board and, once the tail portion is soldered to the printed circuit board, the solder joint would tend to crack due to the instability.